Poultry News

Indiana Bird Flu Control Zones Released After Negative Tests

US - The 6.2-mile (10 km) control area associated with the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) incident in Dubois County, Indiana, was lifted on Monday by the Indiana State Veterinarian.

Poultry owners, commercial and residential, in the area may now resume normal operations and movements of birds and poultry products.

The control area was established on 15 January, after HPAI was identified on a Dubois County commercial turkey farm.

Poultry and poultry products could not enter or leave the control area without a negative avian influenza test and a permit issued by the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH).

Because the tests must be completed within 24 hours of the movement, many commercial egg farms had to be tested daily to continue to move products.

Since 15 January, the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Purdue University has run more than 4300 avian influenza tests, BOAH said.

All farms consistently tested negative throughout the 38-day period, which allowed BOAH to lift the control area, based on guidelines established by the US Department of Agriculture.

In addition to the initial HPAI H7N8-infected farm, the low-pathogenicity avian influenza virus was identified on another nine nearby commercial turkey farms.

All were depopulated, as prescribed by USDA, as well as a non-infected commercial layer farm that was considered a dangerous contact premises. Quarantines remain on all of those sites until specific cleaning and disinfection requirements are complete.

As an extra measure of caution, BOAH imposed a surveillance zone with the same testing requirements (but without the required permit) on commercial operations in an additional 6.2-mile (10 km) surveillance zone. Those requirements are also lifted with this announcement.

“We are pleased to be where we are today, just 38 days after HPAI was identified in Dubois County,” said Indiana State Veterinarian Bret D. Marsh, DVM.

“This is an unprecedented event for the state of Indiana, and the level of cooperation and response at all levels has been incredible.

"The BOAH team and I are grateful for the hard work of our local, state, federal and industry partners who came together to bring this event to a close.”